55026 Class 121 Driving Motor Brake Second (Scrapped)

Last Location

Swansea Vale Railway

Location History

Swansea Vale Railway Oct 96-Mar 09

Current Status

Scrapped at Ammanford Metal Recycling April 2009

Last Livery

Primer

Record Last Updated

13 May 2018

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
55026 was preserved at the Swansea Vale Railway in 1996 after completing its BR service as departmental (Sandite) vehicle, 977824. The interior was completely stripped upon preservation and would require rebuilding.

In 1996 the brake van was completely stripped down; ceiling, sides, doors, etc. A few small roof holes were sealed.

During the 2000's the railway struggled to keep on top of a long series of vandal attacks, the situation made worse by the lack of undercover accommodation and security. 55026 did not escape the attacks, with smashed windows being a typical example. Volunteers chose to try and keep the operational set in reasonable condition, so 55026 sadly deteriorated.

In June 2008 the railway was hit by a serious arson attack and all seven of the DMU vehicles on the railway were damaged to varying degrees, ranging from light external damage to fully gutted vehicles. Following this incident, the railway later ceased operations and agreed to close the site and relocate the salvageable assets to the nearby Gwili Railway.

55026 was considered as being damaged beyond repair, so in Spring 2009 the vehicle was dispatched to Ammanford Metal Recycling where it was scrapped.

After the arson attack, some vehicles were so badly damaged it became difficult to identify them from photographs. This is believed to be 55026 lying derelict on the closed Swansea Vale Railway just a few months before scrapping and total site clearance, 14/2/09. Richard Wilson

55026 after the arson attack, 2/11/08. Mac Winfield

55026 after the arson attack, 2/11/08. Mac Winfield